In the morning, the first rays of sunlight broke through the sky, signaling the start of a new day.
Chen Mo was awakened by his mother's voice and began preparing for the big day. Brushing his teeth, washing his face, taking a hot shower, and shaving—just like any other day, only more meticulous.
Xiao Liwei, Fatty, and the others also got up early to help prepare for the wedding. Li Lingfeng had arrived as well.
This time, many high-profile guests were attending. Xiao Liwei and Fatty were just ordinary folks, so they couldn't handle the reception. As the company's vice president, Li Lingfeng stepped in as Chen Mo's best man. While Chen Mo was busy, Li Lingfeng could help welcome the guests on his behalf.
Xiao Liwei and the others, meanwhile, called up old classmates and friends.
In the living room, the groomsmen started chatting and planning the bride pick-up ceremony. With relatives and friends arriving, the villa quickly filled with cheerful chatter and festive energy.
Chen Jianming, watching the luxurious surroundings, couldn't help the envy in his eyes. Then he suddenly remembered something, pulled out his phone, and started recording a short video.
Chen Jianming was Chen Mo's cousin. Though not a close relative—Chen Mo's father was his father's cousin—the family ties were still there. Naturally, he was invited to the wedding.
Since Chen Mo was now a wealthy man, some family members were curious about his life in Binhai and wanted to meet his bride. Chen Jianming had arrived in advance. Last night, a reporter had contacted him and offered 800 yuan for any inside footage—photos of the mansion or even a glimpse of the bride and groom.
It wasn't unusual to take a few photos and post them online. After confirming the reporter's identity, he agreed and accepted the payment in advance.
After snapping the photos and videos, Chen Jianming posted them to his friend circle on social media.
"They're up."
Ye Bo, the reporter, got the notification and immediately opened the post, eyes lighting up with excitement. He had no way of getting into the wedding himself, but someone else could—and did. He silently admired his own cleverness.
Seeing the photos of Chen Mo's mansion, Ye Bo was stunned. Wealthy people really lived in another world. The villa was huge, possibly one of the biggest he had ever seen. Building something like this must cost hundreds of millions.
After doing some quick edits to the photos, Ye Bo uploaded them to his media account and pushed a new post to Weibo.
"Inside Look: Chen Mo's Mansion by the Furnace Beach – Luxury Unveiled"
While there had been plenty of reports on Chen Mo, very few had shown his home. With the wedding trending online, Ye Bo's post quickly gained traction.
Before long, Chen Mo's wedding and his mansion were both trending in the top search results.
Inside the villa, the atmosphere was cheerful. Everyone had smiles on their faces and envy in their eyes.
"The Chen family's kid is really living large. This place must cost tens of millions."
"Tens of millions? Are you kidding? This kind of villa easily goes for hundreds of millions."
"Look at this high-tech TV. I heard it costs tens of thousands. And there are robots too! Someone said those cost millions. And this is all part of his company?"
"Congratulations!"
"The Chen family is blessed. Congratulations!"
…
By evening, more guests had arrived to join the wedding banquet. Some came just to get a look at the mansion. Others were eager to see the bride. Families came with kids, making the whole house feel warm and lively.
Most of the hometown relatives were ordinary folks. Seeing someone from their family doing so well made them feel proud and hopeful. Apart from a few oddballs, most of them weren't petty or jealous—just genuinely happy for Chen Mo.
Chen Mo's parents were full of smiles. After all their years of hard work, their son had made it. They now stood proud among their peers. They even had the servants bring out refreshments for the guests.
The entire house was buzzing with a celebratory atmosphere.
"The lucky hour has arrived. Time to go pick up the bride," Jian announced upstairs as Chen Mo and the groomsmen finished changing.
"Let's go get her!" Li Zilong cheered, riling up the crowd. Chen Mo quickly boarded the wedding car, headed toward Xiao Yu's villa.
—
At the bride's villa, the bridesmaids were already dressed. Duanmu Qing and Wang Xiaona were helping Xiao Yu with the finishing touches of her makeup. Before long, the bride was ready.
"The groom's party just set off. Everything ready?" Xiao Yu's mother came upstairs after receiving a call and gently knocked on the door.
"All set," Xiao Man replied.
"Little Yu looks so beautiful today," a pretty girl said in admiration. She was He Qiaoqiao, Xiao Yu's cousin who had grown up with her. Her family had sent her to be one of the bridesmaids.
Xiao Yu sat gracefully on the red bedding, wearing a dreamy wedding gown. Her long black hair flowed like a waterfall, pinned back by delicate accessories. Her veil trailed down her back, her bangs styled gently over her forehead. The whole look was elegant and noble, yet soft and romantic.
Seeing Xiao Yu like this, Zhao Min couldn't help but smile with envy. Li Ruoxi, Zhu Li, Zhou Wei, Wang Xiaolan, and the other bridesmaids were also stunned by her beauty. Even Bai Zhu, who was there for security, looked momentarily dazed.
This lucky girl had married the man countless women dreamed of—but few could even dream of keeping.
"Let's take a group photo with our beautiful bride!" Li Ruoxi called out.
"Zhao-jie, come join us! Pearl-jie too!" Xiao Yu smiled, beckoning to Zhao Min and Bai Zhu.
"Sure." Zhao Min walked over with a smile. She wasn't suited to be a bridesmaid due to her status, but it was fine to join Xiao Yu's side on this special day.
At the company, Xiao Yu was technically her assistant, but Zhao Min had always treated her more like a little sister.
She saw Xiao Yu as strong and independent, gentle yet dependable. She had liked her from the first time they met and immediately offered her the assistant position after graduation.
In her eyes, Xiao Yu truly deserved Chen Mo—not because she got lucky, but because she had earned it.
Bai Zhu also walked over, smiling warmly.
After taking the photo, which was immediately posted to their friend circles, Wang Xiaolan clapped her hands. "Alright, the groom's almost here. Time to prepare the checkpoint! We've got to test him before he gets our beautiful Xiao Yu."
"How many levels should we set?" someone asked.
"Ten?" Zhou Wei said while munching on snacks. She looked around and laughed. "Don't we just milk the rich guy with red envelopes?"
"Isn't that a bit much?" someone chuckled. "Let's tone it down, but make it meaningful. A few clever clues and some red envelopes."
Xiao Yu sat quietly, smiling as she watched her excited friends.
"First, let's ask the bride: Is there anything you regret or anything Chen Mo hasn't done for you?" Li Ruoxi turned to her.
Xiao Yu paused for a moment, then smiled. "He's never disappointed me. Everything he promised, he delivered. But from the time we started dating until now... he's never given me flowers."
"What? Not even when he proposed?" Zhao Min looked genuinely shocked. Chen Mo, the supposedly romantic guy, hadn't sent flowers?
"Nope. But I know he'll send them today. No regrets."
"Still, that's too much. Getting married without ever sending flowers?"
"Yeah! Typical science guy. Doesn't understand romance!"
"Let's punish him! Extra red envelopes!"
The bridesmaid squad burst into laughter and excitement.
Chen Mo, unaware of the brewing "storm," was about to be ambushed by a very determined sister group.